STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1989

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2025

RE: S.B. No. 428

H.D. 1

Honorable Nadine K. Nakamura

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2025

State of Hawaii

Madame:

Your Committee on Finance, to which was referred S.B. No. 428 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO WITNESS FEES,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to:

(1) Increase the fees paid to witnesses in civil and criminal trials;

(2) Change the fees paid for travel expenses from 20 cents a mile to the mileage allowance prescribed by the Administrator of General Services; and

(3) Authorize reimbursement to witnesses in civil trials for actual expenses of travel by common carrier.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Office of the Public Defender. Your Committee received comments on this measure from the Department of Budget and Finance.

Your Committee has amended this measure by:

(1) Changing the fees paid to witnesses for their attendance in civil and criminal trials to unspecified amounts;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 3000, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Finance that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 428, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Third Reading in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 428, H.D. 1.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Finance,

____________________________

KYLE T. YAMASHITA, Chair